The Pug is an adorable little dog that is sure to charm with their expressive little wrinkled faces with the smashed-in nose. Even their breathing noises have their own charm. In spite of their funny appearance, the pug has become one of the more popular breeds, particularly since they have such an easy-going personality that gets along with just about any type of family. Continue reading →

Winter weather seems to be hitting us hard and early this year. We are more than a little nervous about our friends on the East Coast with the Frankenstorm!

Even if you’re not affected by this storm, it’s important to look out for your pets for winter. Not only do we need to think about maintaining our furnace and vehicles, but looking out for our four-legged friends is also an important step to ensure their well-being and safety.

Some shelters specifically don’t adopt out black cats during October for fear that they may be used for ritualistic sacrifices on Halloween. Some believe this is somewhat of an urban myth that complicates cat adoptions for black cats even more than usual. Black cats often have difficulty getting adopted because they are difficult to see in their cages, and difficult to photograph. Continue reading →

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to post any blogs for my adoring fans, but this is because I’ve been working like a dog (ahem) on a new project. See, as I would travel around the world, wooing various merchants for their wares, part of the cultural norms are to share a meal and good conversation before getting down to business. Believe me, this is something we Americans could learn to savor!

Inexplicably, a lonely musical instrument would be present in the restaurant lounge during these business ventures, strategically placed within my line of sight. When I would make note of it, the host would always urge me to demonstrate my musical prowess. This became such a regular occurrence that I realized that my reputation had proceeded me. I would try to laugh it off and humbly decline, but the patrons looked so longingly at me that I couldn’t disappoint them. Continue reading →

Remember your pets growing up? I certainly do. We were a family with lots of kids, critters, and chaos, but we had a lot of fun! I’m sure people must have though my mother had the patience of Job, and she must have, because we all survived and are fairly well adjusted as adults.

One thing is for sure, allowing us the chance to care for precious creatures gave us a healthy respect for animals and for our fellow human beings. It wasn’t always easy, and there was and is still sometimes heartache, but having each other and our furry friends made the journey much better, with great stories to tell! Continue reading →